Alta / Snowbird: Feb 20-22, 2014

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I really like both Snowbird and Alta but while next to each other they have totally different vibes.  We had the opposite issue of you.  Low vis at Alta and blue bird sunny at Snowbird as we had swapped days.  You skied Snowbird on Saturday I think (us Alta).  

The Supreme Lift is great for low vis days at Alta.  The Sugarloaf lift and that ridge opposite are aweful in low vis.  

Since this trip was my son's first to Utah and we had our best day at the Bird that tipped my opinion slight towards Snowbird. I think that Alta is better on a weekend than Snowbird when the tram lines can get really long.  Snowbird to me is just easier to get around than Alta.

Try Solitude next time too especially on a weekend.

Coach Z wrote

I really like both Snowbird and Alta but while next to each other they have totally different vibes.  We had the opposite issue of you.  Low vis at Alta and blue bird sunny at Snowbird as we had swapped days.  You skied Snowbird on Saturday I think (us Alta).  

I don't mean to short sell Snowbird.  They're both great areas and I had a great day at the Bird despite the low vis morning.  You're probably right that the weather influenced my preference.

Coach Z wrote

Try Solitude next time too especially on a weekend.

4 of the guys in our group went over to Solitude on our middle day.  They said they liked it and also that I would have liked it.  If I go back with the family, my strategy would probably be to stay in Sandy or SLC and ski 4 days, hitting Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and possibly making a run up to Snowbasin (or do a repeat of our favorite of the other 3).

Jeff where did you end up staying?

We were in the Sugarplum townhouses on the Alta Bypass road.  By skiing the ropeline down from the top of the Wildcat lift at Alta, through the Westward Ho trees, I ended up practically at our condo doorstep.  I also skied back by popping through the Keyhole gate over to the Snowbird side.

Not a ton of lodging options at Alta, but the townhouses were quite nice.  We also stuck our heads in one or two of the lodges (had dinner at GMD our last night) and I thought those looked like a nice option. I know you've stayed at GMD before.

There's no place like Alta - if you go again pick up "The Powder Hounds guide to Alta", it will give you the best advice on dozens of stashes. You can usually find it in one of the shops. There is also a "Powder Hounds guide to Snowbird" although it is not as well done.

I also stayed at the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird which is great.  Best hot tub in the world too.

I enjoyed your TR Jeff.  I haven't skied Alta/Snowbird for over twenty years.  I'm really looking forward to getting back there.  

I think your third pic is from Glory Hole, Short drop then a lot of run out unless you make the lip and then you have a short drop down through Chartreuse nose.

PeeTex wrote

There's no place like Alta - if you go again pick up "The Powder Hounds guide to Alta", it will give you the best advice on dozens of stashes.

Yeah, I heard about that book and considered picking up a copy before my trip, but I figured I was already in pretty good shape with the beta from my other thread in the forum here, plus other suggestions / advice I had gathered from other friends.  If I go again, I think I will pick up a copy because it'll have a lot more meaning to me now.

There's also this map, which has a lot of place names that aren't on the standard Alta trail map.

PeeTex wrote

I think your third pic is from Glory Hole, Short drop then a lot of run out unless you make the lip and then you have a short drop down through Chartreuse nose.

You mean the 4th pic, I beleive.  I think you're right (Glory Hole, specifically "Triple Bypass") based on the map linked above ^^. I really liked the aesthetics of that line and the approach to it. Here's the 4th pic that you're talking about:

Adk Jeff wrote

Not sure what this is named (skied in from the Sugarloaf lift):

There's a flat runout, then it drops into a gully with some steep pitches, then opens up for the final drops back to the Sugarloaf lift.  There's a few more pics of that area on my blog (the Alta Day 2 blog post).

Thanks for the help with the names, It was kind of hard identifying the correct names on some of the stuff that I skied.

Coach Z wrote

I also stayed at the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird which is great.  Best hot tub in the world too.

^^Mr. Fancy Pants

CMR wrote

I enjoyed your TR Jeff.

Thanks!

Correct, I was referring to the 4th pic.

Glad you had a great trip, I count myself as a habitual Altaholic and I am not looking for any 12 step program.

Finished my trip report for Snowbird:
Snowbird, UT: 02/22/2014